Cutter Blade Found in Sainsbury’s LEGO Create the World Card Foil Pack

Late last August, UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s revived one of its promotional partnerships with LEGO, the Create the World collectible card series. A new set of LEGO trading cards were introduced to put together in a new volume called “Incredible Inventions”. But a recent event threatens to put a damper on the LEGO collecting fun. Much like its previous edition, collecting the new LEGO cards consists of buying a minimum £10 shopping tag at a Sainsbury’s store to receive a 4-card foil pack. In Kent however, a mother returning from her local Sainsbury’s to discover a cutter blade in a LEGO card foil pack she brought home for her child.

“It didn’t look like it had been tampered with so when I got home I just put the card packs on the table,” recalls Kirsty Thorne to the BBC. “They were all playing at the table going through the cards and that’s when my son brought it to my attention.”

Cutter Blade

From her own examination the blade, a refill for a snap-off utility cutter blade, was simply placed in the pack with the four cards before sealing, possibly an industrial error. The fact that the blade was small enough to fit the pack meant it was not detected until somebody bought it.

A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s noted that the chain is aware of the cutter blade slipped into a LEGO Create the World card pack and are bringing the matter up with their supplier, though the consensus is that it was an isolated accident. Still, the Sainsbury’s store that Mrs. Thorne shopped from to get the card pack has returned her £10 shopping payment by way of apology.

The mother herself is simply relieved that nothing much worse happened, especially considering that her son had opened the foil pack with his teeth, risking injury from the included blade.

Blocks Magazine Issue 48 Now Available and Features LEGO Ideas Voltron (21311)

It looks to be that time again for another major LEGO fan community magazine Blocks to unleash its latest issue. Last month they gave a lot of focus and attention to the details of the LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron (42083), which recently got an incredible life-sized drivable brick-built replica. For its October 2018 issue, Blocks Magazine Issue 48 is going for the big stars in current LEGO sets, and you probably can get no bigger these days than the impressive LEGO Ideas Voltron: Defender of the Universe (21311), released August 1.

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There’s really no set by LEGO quite like the Ideas Voltron (21311), which not only comprises five fully poseable lion robot models, but is able to combine them into a similarly articulated (and sturdy) large robot. It’s been the darling of serious LEGO collectors since early appearances at 2018 SDCC.

Aside from their main feature review on LEGO Ideas Voltron (21311), this latest issue of Blocks will also have their two cents on the Mad Max-esque LEGO Ninjago Dieselnaut (70654), and MOC guide for a miniature of the LEGO Creator Aston Martin DB5 (10262).

Finally, they have previews of the latest upcoming BrickHeadz, a licensed-franchise rivalry retrospective on Star Wars and Harry Potter, and so much more in store. Interested fans can get their own copy of Blocks magazine issue 48 (print or digital) by visiting their official website.

LEGO City Magazine Issue 7 Now Comes With Two LEGO City Freebies

The latest issue of LEGO City Magazine is now available, and Issue #7 has double treats for subscribers and fans that will pick up a copy. The LEGO City Magazine Issue 7 now comes with two foil bags instead of one, and for this month’s issue we have a free LEGO City Octan Race Car with a driver minifigure, PLUS another mini vehicle set with its respective minifigure driver as well. The second foil bag may vary though, as shared by Brick Fanatics.

Images courtesy of Brick Fanatics.

The second foil bag freebie seems to be based on previously released free sets as bundled before with past issues of the LEGO City Magazine. Though the LEGO City Octan Race Car foiled bag is pretty much consistent across copies of the LEGO City Magazine Issue 7, the second freebie is somehow random as observed by Bricks Fanz. This particular copy of issue 7 has in fact, an extra minifigure instead together with several fire fighting accessories.

LEGO City Mag 7 1
Image courtesy of Bricks Fanz

Inside, the LEGO City Magazine Issue 7 is jam-packed with the usual comics, activity sheets, puzzles, posters and even post cards to share with friends. This current issue also gives us a glimpse of what free item to expect from next month’s issue which is a policeman minifigure and a motorbike. If you’re still missing a mini motorbike in your LEGO City collection, then this is the most cost-effective way to bag this.

LEGO City Mag 7 4
Image courtesy of Brick Fanatics.

LEGO Star Wars Magazine Issue 39 with Obi-Wan Kenobi Pilot Minifigure and Trading Card Now Available

One good thing about some official LEGO Magazines for some of its major licensed franchises is that sometimes their freebies are fairly uncommon little things. They can, for instance, be a certain minifigure from a large set; but as a freebie in a LEGO mag you get one technically free. That’s the deal going with the latest LEGO Star Wars Magazine Issue 39 of the official LEGO Star Wars Magazine, as it features one of the minifigures from the LEGO Star Wars set for the Jedi Starfighter with Hyperdrive (75191): Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is a fairly uncommon rendering of the Jedi Master as pilot.

LEGO Star Wars Magazine Issue 39

As for other content, LEGO Star Wars fans will certainly enjoy another month’s issue filled with fun puzzles, posters for their walls, and a variety of LEGO-styled comic stories. Some of them are tied into the included pilot Obi-Wan minifigure, but there’s also a mag promo to win a Kessel Run Millennium Falcon set (75212).

If you’re keeping up with collecting the new LEGO Star Wars trading cards introduced last month, then you’ll get the limited edition card LE02 from this issue 39 of the mag. Naturally, it’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. The official LEGO Star Wars Magazine from The Egmont Group is priced at £3.99 and is available now in Europe.

Blocks Magazine Issue 47 Shines Spotlight on LEGO Technic Chiron Bugatti (42083) and Other Goodies

It seemed like only yesterday when we were talking about what was in store for readers of LEGO fandom publication Blocks magazine, within its 46th issue. That time, it was LEGO Star Wars that was center stage, particularly the UCS Millennium Falcon’s (75192) shinier counterpart, the Kessel Run version (75212).

For their next issue, Blocks will be shifting focus to something more realistic in LEGO, with features on the most recent automobile models they’ve put out. In the front cover we have the beautiful and complex Bugatti Chiron (42083) set from the LEGO Technic line, ready to be thoroughly discussed.

blocksmag47

If readers still want the fantastical in their LEGO, then also covered on Blocks issue 47 is the gadget-laden LEGO Creator Expert Aston Martin DB5 (10262) of James Bond fame. It includes a LEGO Group design team interview and highlights from its Leicester Square launch, graced by Naomie “Moneypenny” Harris.

Other topics of interest in the latest Blocks are the recent LEGO Speed Champions sets, a feature on 3D-printing giant LEGO bricks from Star Wars FX master Matt Denton, a spotlight on the LEGO Incredibles video game, and one final update on the completion of The LEGO Ninjago Movie Bridge MOC.

While dated for September 2018, Blocks magazine issue 47 has been available for online subscription since Thursday, August 23. For more information on getting your own copy, printed on digital, check out their official website.

Somerset, UK Hosting LEGO Exhibit, Spartan Brick Creations

Last month we shone a spotlight on a recent issue of Blocks, one of the major independent publications covering the LEGO scene. Some of the best elements the magazine has going for it are the splendid amount of content within, including building tips, advice and MOC from some knowledgeable contributors. One of Blocks magazine’s most well-known contributors is their Build Specialist Simon Pickard, a LEGO fan and wonder-builder who has also had the good fortune of having his worked showcased on official LEGO books. He’ll also be the principal guest for a LEGO builders’ exhibition in Wellington, Somerset County, UK aptly dubbed as Spartan Brick Creations.

For a single day this weekend, the Wellington Baptist Church will be the host for what has been termed as “An exhibition of creativity in LEGO”, better known as the “Spartan Brick Creations” event. Not only is Simon Pickard at the center of attention, there will also be build showcases of brick animals as featured in the recent “LEGO Animal Atlas” book published by Dorling-Kindersley.

Spartan Brick Creations

With an admission price of £3 per head, with children under 2 allowed in for free, guests to the Spartan Brick Creations will be able to check out the LEGO builds on display, meet and greet with Simon Pickard, try their hand at construction with the free build zone, and of course be able to purchase a variety of LEGO sets both old and newly-released from the event’s partner merchants.

Lest you forget, Spartan Brick Creations is happening this Saturday, August 18, from 11AM to 5PM at the Baptist Church of Wellington in Somerset, UK.

Imperial Probe Droid and More Included in LEGO Star Wars UK Mag Issue 38

A few times before we covered issues of the official LEGO Star Wars Magazine published in the UK, and the nifty special minifigures or polybags that came with them. Well now, LEGO Star Wars UK edition has brought out its issue 38 featuring two limited-edition polybags; one fixed and the other randomly chosen and added. The latest giveaways for LEGO Star Wars UK mag are an Imperial probe droid as seen in Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, accompanied in the packaging by a random polybag featured from previous issues. Apparently they still have a few pieces left to distribute.

From a certain point of view, the Imperial probe isn’t entirely new itself. Such a probe droid was already included in a past issue of LEGO Star Wars UK mag from two years ago. This time though, it comes with extra bricks to build a stand.

LEGO Star Wars UK Mag

Now as always, you can expect articles, LEGO Star Wars comics, posters, puzzles and games, plus build instructions to make more models and fixtures from the Galaxy Far, Far Away. This LEGO Star Wars UK mag is now available in the UK at £5.99 a copy.

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For those who are curious, LEGO Star Wars magazine UK edition has already spoiled what comes next in their issue 39 for September, a minifigure of prequel-era Obi-Wan Kenobi in pilot gear with a lightsaber. It’s up to you if you’ll get the Imperial probe plus extra old set now, or save for next month.

Select Articles from the Newsweek Special Edition: LEGO – The Toy That Changed Our Lives Now Available Online

As July ends, two weeks have passed since a special edition of Newsweek magazine on LEGO was made available. Entitled LEGO – The Toy That Changed Our Lives this issue was loaded with articles and features on everything related to the world’s biggest toy brand, whether it’s on their milestone anniversaries, their various brick-set lines, or even their upcoming media offerings.

Now, this special Newsweek edition is published with the intent of being a media collector’s item. But its contents have been made available by Newsweek itself on its official website, for the benefit of those who can’t get a copy.

So far, at least three featured articles from the LEGO – The Toy That Changed Our Lives special issue have been posted on Newsweek online. They include a special on the 40th anniversary of the ubiquitous LEGO minifigure, an interview with a company executive regarding The LEGO Movie 2, and a spotlight on the LEGO Architecture model-building line.

LEGO – The Toy That Changed Our Lives

All in all, they’ve been nice fluff pieces focusing on several different facets that cement the reputation of LEGO as a life-changing toy experience. From discussing the evolution of the minifigure, to getting inside perspective on how LEGO became a viable film franchise since the first cinematic installment in 2014, to a waxing lyrical of LEGO Architecture set 21017 – Tokyo Imperial Hotel, there’s something to catch dedicated LEGO enthusiasts’ fancy.

As of this posting, the Newsweek Special Edition: LEGO – The Toy That Changed Our Lives is currently sold-out online. So in the event that physical copies of this collector’s edition issue becomes really scarce in our local magazine shops, then the Newsweek website is the go to place. Be sure to check with them every now and then since more might be published soon.

LEGO Star Wars Collectible Trading Cards Coming In August

Like any other well-established LEGO line, LEGO Star Wars has long been developing a good variety of products for both LEGO enthusiasts and Star Wars fans to enjoy. There have been plenty of starships, imperial and rebel war machines, minifigures, and even buildable figures – and this time, we will be seeing a LEGO Star Wars collectible trading cards sets very soon.

For the LEGO purist, this may seem to be unattractive, however, its quite clear that LEGO and Lucasfilm now have their sights in coming up with a full range of LEGO Star Wars collectible trading cards. This remarkable piece of news was broken by Promobricks, meaning it’s probably going to start becoming available in Europe before going elsewhere. The cards will be launched by the publishers of the LEGO Star Wars magazine, the first stop being Germany.

LEGO Star Wars collectible trading cards

The collection itself is of a respectable size with 252 cards total, each depicting, whether solo or in groups, all minifigure versions of every prominent Star Wars character in the film trilogies and major spin offs. Furthermore, 24 of those cards will be “Gold” Limited Edition cards, likely referring to the material used to decorate them.

Additionally, Promobricks reports that packs of the LEGO Star Wars collectible trading cards will start coming out as early as August 11 in Europe, and some Gold cards will be available as special extras on certain issues of LEGO magazine publications, not just with LEGO Star Wars.

Here’s a list of the known sources for the limited edition LEGO Star Wars cards, courtesy once again of Promobricks:

  1. LE01 – Yoda (August 11) – starter pack
  2. LE02 – Obi-Wan Kenobi (August 11) – LEGO Star Wars magazine #39
  3. LE03 – Luke Skywalker (September 8) – LEGO Star Wars magazine #40
  4. LE04 – Old Han Solo (September 13) – 5! Magazine 10/18
  5. LE05 – Chewbacca (October) – Extra Pack
  6. LE06 – Anakin Skywalker (September 18) – LEGO Ninjago comic #27
  7. LE07 – Rey (August 11) – Multi Pack
  8. LE08 – Poe Dameron (August 11) – Multi Pack
  9. LE09 – First Order Trooper FN-2187 (August 11) – Multi Pack
  10. LE10 – Clone Captain Rex (August 11) – Multi Pack
  11. LE11 – Darth Vader (October 13) – LEGO Star Wars magazine #41
  12. LE12 – Darth Maul (August 23) – LEGO Ninjago magazine #41
  13. LE13 – Captain Phasma (October 23) – LEGO Nexo Knights magazine #31
  14. LE14 – General Grievous (October 11) – 5! Magazine 11/18
  15. LE15 – Kylo Ren (November 17) – LEGO Star Wars magazine #42
  16. LE16 – Imperial Death Trooper (October 30) – LEGO Ninjago magazine #43
  17. LE17 – Boba Fett (unknown date) – Mini Tin Version C
  18. LE18 – Emperor Palpatine (unknown date)
  19. LE19 – Anakin Skywalker & Count Dooku (September) – Blister Pack
  20. LE20 – Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader (September) – Blister Pack
  21. LE21 – Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Maul (September) – Blister Pack
  22. LE22 – Yoda & Emperor Palpatine (unknown date) – Mini Tin Version B
  23. LE23 – Rey & Kylo Ren (unknown date) – Mini Tin Version A
  24. LE24 – Finn & Captain Phasma (September) – Blister Pack

What do you think of these new line of collectibles from LEGO? Will you consider them as a Day 1 purchase? Let us know in the comments below.

Blocks Magazine Issue 46 Features Kessel Run Millennium Falcon and Other LEGO Star Wars Solo Sets

As you already know, Disney Lucasfilm’s second Star Wars Story spinoff Solo ended up a major flop in the box office after the promising performance of its predecessor Rogue One. Some say it was affected by bad fan reactions to The Last Jedi. Be that as it may, the movie still boasted magnificent machines that have made its way to become official LEGO sets. And these sets are the focus of the latest Blocks Magazine Issue 46, marked for August 2018 but available earlier as is the fashion. For their August issue, the centerpiece feature of the month is the LEGO Star Wars Kessel Run Millennium Falcon (75212). This and several other Solo tie-ins will go before the Blocks crew who will tell readers which are worth the buy, and which ones are better off forgotten.

In addition, Blocks Magazine Issue 46 also features an interview with some of the designers behind these latest LEGO Star Wars sets for an inside look on how the Solo LEGO sets were conceptualized, including the famed Kessel Run Falcon. Here’s what Blocks Magazine has to say about their latest issue.

Blocks Magazine Issue 46

Can you have too many Millennium Falcons? Of course you can’t, so this month we welcome the Kessel Run Millennium Falcon to planet Blocks, accompanied by the fleet of Star Wars sets that hit the shops at the same time. We don’t just review the sets, though – we also talk to the designers behind the new wave for the inside story.

We’ve recently been to LEGO headquarters and heard a lot about the direction the LEGO Group’s heading, and it looks like we’ve got some exciting times ahead. But learning from history is also important and that’s what Daniel Konstanski does this month as he explores the LEGO family tree. Do you remember Aquazone? He does, and there’s a lesson under the waves.

Of course, we’ve also got the regular features about technique, buying, showcasing and much more, so enjoy the August issue and don’t forget to get in touch, especially if you’ve been building.

Other feature articles on on Blocks Magazine Issue 46 include their analysis of the LEGO Creator Expert Roller Coaster (10261), a look back on LEGO Aquazone from the ’90s, tips on creating micro-scale vegetation, and an update on their ongoing recreation of the Rope Bridge setting from The LEGO Ninjago Movie.

Blocks Magazine Issue 46 is now available for online subscription, and for more information, be sure to visit their official website right here.